CBRM travel allowance constitutes a betrayal

To the editor, Leading up to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s District 10 byelection in December, candidate Darrell Flynn — who was elected councillor — publicly promised to review the $140 weekly travel allowance that councillors receive without needing receipts.

The allowance was voted on and approved by council in March 2005. It equals an extra $7,280 per councillor annually, and a total of $87,360 for the entire 12-person council every year.

That money could be used to pay for police or firefighter salaries, or books for the Cape Breton Regional Library.

As far as I know, no other Canadian municipality has such a perk.

This raise, implemented with no prior notification to CBRM residents, is insulting, especially in an area with one of the highest tax rates in Atlantic Canada and one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada.

One-third of each councillor’s salary is tax exempt. According to the Municipal Government Act, that’s considered an allowance for expenses they incur while discharging their duties — such as attending conferences, meetings and community events.

The current council members who voted for the travel allowance are Claire Detheridge, Jim MacLeod and Clarence Prince. It’s long overdue for these councillors to explain this abuse of public funds to their employers — the people of the CBRM.

When Flynn introduces his motion to have the travel allowance reviewed, it will be interesting to note who seconds the motion, not to mention the result.

While growing up, my mother, who was a pious woman, taught me that greed was a sin. With respect to the travel allowance, the CBRM council has betrayed the trust, integrity and accountability it promised to uphold.

That’s why there’s so much apathy and cynicism among the CBRM electorate. John E. Murphy

Sydney